But Love, That Takes a While
by kissmedarling
Summary: Kira Nerys does not believe in "Love at First Sight". Lust at first sight - certainly. She's felt that many, many, oh so many times. But love, that takes a while.


Disclaimer: I don't own DS9. Der.

Love... That Takes a While  
by 'kissmedarling'

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Kira Nerys does not believe in "Love at First Sight". Lust at first sight - certainly. She's felt that many, many, oh so many times. But love, that takes a while. A long while. There's no way that it happens in an instant, before you know someone's name, their interests, their beliefs.

Jadzia tells her it's true - that love at first sight does happen - and rattles off several stories involving falling in love at first sight. Kira does not listen though. Jadzia can barely remember what she ate for breakfast half the time, and Kira relatively certain that, even if Jadzia is recalling the stories correctly, half of the stories involve Curzon. And, that, Kira knows is not love, so much as lust.

Quark claims, one evening when she has been drug into the bar by Dax, that he has fallen in love many times, and often it has at first sight. Kira scoffs, then leaves the bar. Jadzia won't miss her. She's fallen in love at first sight with a Katrian.

The next morning Jadzia will tell her friend that it was not love. Only lust. It will be followed by several more stories about love at first sight. This time they will not be first hand stories, but stories about all of the friends and children of all of the Daxs and stories about how they, supposedly, fell in love at first sight.

Kira cannot help but roll her eyes when Julian talks about falling in love at first sight -- with a new tool. That is ridiculous. Though in Kira's opinion much more likely than falling in love at first sight with another person.

One day - a slow day if there ever was one - she and Benjamin have lunch together. They don't have lunch together very often, but everyone else has found some "excuse" to leave their post on do nothing on this slow, slow day, and both of them want to eat lunch.

Somehow they get on the subject of love, and Benjamin says that when he met Jennifer it was love at first sight. Kira bites her tounge, knowing this is not the time to say she does not believe in love at first sight.

A few weeks later she and the O'Briens are having dinner. Molly asks to be read a story. Kira and Keiko listen in while Miles reads the story to Molly. In the end Molly asks if "Mommy and him" fell in love at first sight. Mile assures her that indeed they did. He and Keiko share an exceedingly sappy look later. Kira excuses herself soon after that. After all, she has to get up early tomorrow for work.

When Jadzia and Worf meet Kira is certain it will not last that long. It does and Kira's quite happy for her friend, glad everything worked out alright. Unfortunately there's a downside. Once again Jadzia feels the need to recount seven lifetimes of falling in love at first sight... and now an eighth time. Kira kindly reminds her that Jadzia was not saying she loved Worf when they first met. Jadzia rolls her eyes in a knowing - yet highly annoying - way.

"It doesn't work that way," she tells Kira, with another annoyingly knowing smile.

Kira doesn't understand, but she doesn't say so. Instead she orders another drink. Dax follows suit, realizing her friend doesn't believe or understand - but hoping that one day her friend does.

When Sisko and Kasidy start seeing each other Kira knows that if/when they fall in love it will result in Sisko - and Kasidy - claiming love at first sight. She's certain of it even though Kira can't see too much chemistry.

It seems like everyone has stories about falling in love at first sight. Even Morn has told her this. The only other people she can find who share her opinion are the Jumja Stick Man (Who barely counts, claiming love at third-or-fourth-sight) and Ensign Harmore.

One day, for no particular reason, Kira asks Odo what he believes. He brushes the subject aside, claiming he has no opinion. Kira doesn't know whether to believe him or not, but lets it slide. If he doesn't want to answer, that's his prerogative.

Right after Kira and Odo get together Jadzia asks Kira if she believes in love at first sight yet. Once again Kira scoffs, but then, she stops. Kira excuses herself, and as she leaves the restaurant Kira can practically feel Dax smirking.

When she gets back to her quarters Kira sits down and smiles - the same sort of knowing and annoying smile Dax used so long ago and Kira realizes that she does believe in love at first sight. She's always loved Odo - she just... didn't realize it.

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Read and Reveiw! :)


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